1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steam sterilizer, and in particular to a multi-function and composite steam sterilizer.
2. Description of Prior Art
Since infants have a low resistance, more attention has to be paid in order to protect the infant against the invasion or infection of bacteria. Thus, feeding bottles, feeding nipples, pacifiers, eating utensils and even toys for the infant have to be often sterilized. The above-mentioned sterilization may be carried out by different ways such as high-temperature steam or ultra-violet beams. The high-temperature steam is often used to change the protein structure of bacteria and to suppress the propagation of bacteria. Currently, the high-temperature steam for sterilization is generated by boiling water, so that a bottle sterilizer for sterilizing feeding bottles is also called a steam sterilizer by the manufacturers in this field.
The existing steam sterilizer includes a primary container. The primary container includes a primary base in which a heating means is provided. The surface of the primary base is provided with a water tray. The surface of the primary base is covered by a primary box having a downward opening.
The water received in the water tray is heated by the heating means. Then, the steam pervades the interior of the primary box for sterilization. However, such a steam sterilizer has problems as follows. The feeding bottle has a certain height and is usually disposed upright in the steam sterilizer. Thus, the steam sterilizer also has a height large enough to receive the upright bottles. When a user intends to put the feeding bottles in a microwave oven for further sterilization, the feeding bottles have to be taken off from the primary box and then disposed in the microwave oven. Otherwise, the whole steam sterilizer has to be put in the microwave oven. However, the stem sterilizer cannot be put upright into the microwave oven. Further, since the interior of the steam sterilizer is provided with the heating means, the heating means may suffer damage if it is put in the microwave oven. Also, the steam sterilizer is made of materials which cannot sustain the high temperature within the microwave oven. Thus, the existing steam sterilizer is unsuitable to be put into the microwave oven.